www.IndianJournals.com Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale Downloaded From IP - 128.128.128.169 on dated 22-Sep-2014 International Journal of Social and Economic Research Vol. 3, Issue 1, January-March 2013 pp. 104-110 DOI : 10.5958/j.2249-6270.3.1.013 1 Madhulika Sahoo is an anthropologist and a former graduate of the University of East London, working as a Senior Research Fellow in Anthropological Survey of India, Central Regional Center, Ministry of Culture, Seminary hills, Nagpur; she can be contacted at madhulika.sahoo@hotmail.co.uk A product of Diva Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Tribal Development: A Critical Analysis of Development Programmes on Mankirdias, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group in the Mayurbhanj District, Odisha Madhulika Sahoo 1 ABSTRACT ‘Odisha’ in India is known as one of the largest tribal-dominated states. Of late, the Economic Survey 2010-11 at the state assembly has claimed that Odisha has achieved 9.57% against the national average of 7.79%; at the same time, the state has witnessed a wide range of regional and social disparities in development, failing to address economic circumstances of the underprivileged and marginalised groups of KBK and Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Although the state and central government has introduced an immense number of tribal development programmes and schemes, but in reality they have failed to reach the targeted population in many ways. The question remains whether there are flaws in the scheme or a lack of proper implementation of tribal development policies or a lack of awareness. The reasons may be numerous; however, less effective actions have been undertaken at the grass-root level to curb the crisis. The Mankirdia who are particularly vulnerable tribal groups of Mayurbhanj are nomadic tribal groups. The government in recent times has tried to settle the tribal groups by providing various tribal developmental schemes and programmes. This case-study has tried to critically analyse the impact of development programmes on Mankirdias on their transit phase from nomadic to settled living in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Keywords: Mankirdia, Kendumundi, Durdura, Tanda, Khumba, Siali, Tupa INTRODUCTION The term “development” indicates the overall improvement in the quality of life. However, development in tribal regions has remained a challenge since time immemorial. The anthropological school of thought in reference to tribal development says that any development for tribal communities should be along the lines of their genius and that programmes implemented in tribal areas should have a ‘tribal touch’ or ‘tribal bias’ (Taradatt, 2001). Nevertheless, the battle of isolation and assimilation has affected tribal communities, thus obstructing the implementation of tribal development programmes. It was understood that the progress of social development can be observed in the form of empowerment, equitable distribution of income and wealth or in the broader context of socialisation of natural resources, which can be possible only with the involvement of tribals in project formulation and implementation by working through their traditional system. The present tribal development process gives a completely different scenario; instead of involving tribals in the planning and implementation of development programmes, they are rather blamed for the failure of developmental schemes and programmes. The concern remains within the